RedHawks continue to set the standard in women’s basketball
Miami opens MAC Tournament with program-best 26th victory
RedHawks continue to set the standard in women’s basketball
Miami opens MAC Tournament with program-best 26th victory
Video by Zachary Burnett
Miami University’s historic season in women’s basketball continues.
The RedHawks now own 26 wins this season, a new standard for the program. They also own the regular-season championship in the Mid-American Conference, along with the MAC tournament’s No. 1 seed — a position they successfully defended in the tournament’s opening game on Wednesday.
Behind a game-high 25 points from Tamar Singer and another 14 from Amber Scalia — plus clutch defense and free-throw shooting — Miami defeated Kent State 65-58 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland during the quarterfinals of the MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament.
“We’re having fun on the court and off the court,” Singer said. “We’re playing for each other. We’re playing for our coaches.”
Miami also claimed its first MAC regular-season crown in more than two decades.
“I want to be defined by championships here,” Miami Women’s Basketball Coach Glenn Box said. “We’re one step closer to winning another championship, to having a banner up. That’s, to me, legacy.”
Miami took its latest step toward another title by defeating Kent State for the second time in a week. The RedHawks knocked off the Golden Flashes 71-52 on March 4 to put the finishing touches on the MAC regular-season championship, their first since the 2003-2004.
They’ll face Ohio University at 10 a.m. Friday in a tournament semifinal.
Singer was a catalyst in Wednesday’s win. Twice the sophomore guard ended a quarter by driving to the basket and converting a layup. The second time, at the end of the third quarter, she helped quash a Kent State rally as the RedHawks pulled away down the stretch.
Miami kept the Golden Flashes at bay by sinking 10 of 14 free throws in the final quarter, utilizing strategic timeouts, and keeping up defensive pressure.
After every timeout, Scalia noted, the biggest thing the RedHawks talk about is defense.
“Just stay disciplined, give energy and effort, and it’ll come,” Scalia said.
Núria Jurjo added eight points for Miami, while Ilse de Vries finished with seven. Scalia grabbed seven rebounds to lead the RedHawks, while Amber Tretter and de Vries each added six.
Miami also forced Kent State into 17 turnovers.
“The beautiful thing about our team is the versatility," Box said.
The expectation is no different when it comes to tournament time.
“We all, as a group, speak about that often, about leaving a true legacy, an imprint,” Box said. “We have two more we have to win, and the day after tomorrow is the next big one.”
Like Singer, Scalia emphasized how the RedHawks play for one another. Wednesday’s victory came on the heels of a rarity for the team, one of their few defeats this season (77-62 at Ohio on March 7).
Staying together, no matter what, is a trademark of the team.
“The biggest thing is to just stick together and keep going,” Scalia said. “I think we’re doing a great job with that.”